This invention relates to controlling utility services within buildings and more particularly to the logical control of such utility services.
Logical control of utility services within buildings has heretofore been proposed, illustrative of which are the proposals of U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,587 granted to Geoffrey P. Brown on Dec. 7, 1993 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,619 granted to Thomas G. Barnum, et al. on Jul. 19, 1994.
In the fields of plumbing and electrical, it is typically required that various services within building structures be provided with a means of control so that individual areas receiving these services can be isolated from other areas of the building for the purposes of repair.
A common method for this isolation of electrical services is a wall switch or an electrical breaker located within a service panel that is located at some remote location within the building. These switches and breakers typically control lights, electrical outlets and various pieces of equipment.
The common method for the isolation of plumbing services is a cut-off valve that is typically located above ceiling panels or concealed within a wall and accessed through a service panel. If the service is natural gas, then the cut-off valve can be located upon the roof. Cut-off valves control water to plumbing fixtures and equipment or gas to appliances.
In the field of construction of a building containing science laboratory rooms such as a school facility, it often is practical to control these services with another technique. This technique typically utilizes electrically activated contacts, relays, and solenoid valves. These electrical control apparatuses are typically controlled or activated by the turning ON or OFF of an electrical switch thereby energizing or de-energizing the apparatus. These switches can be located on a wall or concealed within a cabinet such as within an instructor's desk.
This alternative method of controlling these services regulates accessibility to the services, such that a classroom instructor can determine those times when the students in the classroom need the various services. When a service is needed, the switch can be turned to the ON position and access to the service is granted. On the other hand, when a service is not needed, the switch remains in the OFF position and access is denied. This alternative control method helps to prevent accidental or unauthorized use of the service. However, there are several disadvantages to the use of this type of control means. For instance, for maintenance purposes, if the cut-off valve and solenoid valve to the plumbing service is positioned in a concealed ceiling space, then it becomes necessary to first determine the location of the valve and then find a ladder or other device to gain access to the valve. If an emergency arises, it may be virtually impossible to close the valve within a short period of time. Also, if these valves are located upon the roof, there is the need to first gain access to the roof before any maintenance can be performed.
Because the service and solenoid valves are remotely located away from the controlling switch, it is necessary to install wiring from the controlling switch to the control valve. Therefore, detailed coordination between the electrical wiring and the plumbing is needed. The exact locations of the valves and the voltage necessary to activate the solenoid valves must be coordinated.
In addition, as is often the case in the installation of natural gas services, it is necessary that the concealed gas piping and valve apparatus be within a secondary containment enclosure. In such a case, when the gas service is controlled by an electrical solenoid, it is essential that not only the pipe and valve be sealed within the enclosure but also that the electrical conduit and wiring connections be likewise sealed. To properly accomplish this requirement, it is necessary that the other conduit connector be airtight, but also, the wiring within the conduit must be sealed airtight.
In the case of remote control of the electrical service to the classroom, typically a remote set of contacts or a relay is utilized to control the electrical outlets. This relay may be located within an access panel or box and located within the ceiling space. An electrical switch located within the room activates the relay.
Since it is the intent of this technique of controlling the various services to the classroom to restrict access to the services, then it becomes necessary to provide a method to deny or regulate access to the controlling switch. In other words, if the instructor does not choose to permit the use of a service such as the cold water outlets in the room, then the electrical control switch should be left in the OFF position. If it is desired that the activation of this switch be strictly enforced, then this switch must be located within a locked and/or concealed containment area such as the instructor's desk.
However, under these described conditions if an emergency arose it would become necessary for the instructor to first unlock the containment area before the switch could be turned OFF and the service deactivated. Also, if the instructor were to be called away from the classroom momentarily, then there would be no means of deactivating the service in the event of an emergency.
Not only would this configuration create a potential hazard, but also it restricts future repositioning and arrangement of the classroom. For instance, since the instructor's desk has electrical switches that are firmly connected with wiring through electrical conduits, it is impossible to move or reposition the desk without first disconnecting these conduits.
To help prevent such emergency situations electrical panic-type push buttons are often positioned near the exit to the classroom. These panic buttons are typically connected to a building fire alarm system. Though these panic buttons may deactivate the services during emergency situations, it does become necessary to provide the wiring so that the remotely-located solenoid valves and electrical relays can be disengaged.
Also to be considered is a situation whereby the instructor fails to deactivate a service at the end of the classroom day. In such an event, the service would remain active through non-use periods. If any emergency arose during these times, then there would be no way to prevent a catastrophe.
To explain such a situation, suppose that near the end of the school day a student inadvertently leaves a cold water faucet open at a sink, and suppose that the drain to this sink has become clogged preventing the drainage of the water from the sink, by the beginning of the next school day a tremendous amount of water damage could occur within the classroom. Further, if the event occurred prior to an extended weekend or holiday, then this damage could likely extend to the entire school.
Now suppose that rather than a water outlet there was left open a gas valve. The results of such an event could be catastrophic. Clearly, a better method to control these services to school science classrooms needs to be found.
There presently exists a means to remotely control and activate the various “HVAC” systems located within the building. This method is commonly referred to as “EMS” or energy management system. Though this “EMS” does have the capability to regulate time intervals when services can be activated, presently there does not exist a common link between the “EMS” and the activating switches for science classroom services.
Since different schools or classrooms may have different needs, it would also be advantageous to allow for different configuration of the utility controller unit as well as for easily adding upgrades to the system after installation. Similarly, in certain instances, it may also be advantageous for cost savings and/or simplicity of operation to control two different but similar utilities by a single control circuit. For example, domestic hot and cold water could be turned on by a single circuit, and thereby allow control of another utility.
Further, the ability to activate and deactivate various circuits from any position in a classroom may also be important. Therefore, the ability to upgrade the system to generate control signals by remote control is important.
Continuous monitoring of the system at a high level is important. However, every instance of an emergency situation may not actually be an emergency. Therefore, the ability for the classroom instructor to neutralize a situation that is not actually an emergency without alerting high level monitoring could be a great benefit.